Part 2 - Bathing in Beitou, Taipei

When I was in Beitou Taipei last February, I spent some happy hours discovering the small park (QinShui Park) in between two streets (Guangming and Zhongshan)  in the spa district - a calm oasis to get away from my traveling companions for a while.

There were two buildings in this park – the new Taipei Public Library and the older former Public Bath House.  The older building can be reached by crossing a bridge across a stream, the two storey house is built in a Euro-Japanese style with red brick arches on the ground floor supporting a upper storey in timber siding.

The flowing stream nearby masks the sounds of traffic while the evening sun and maple trees conspired to paint a picturesque scene – for me only it seemed. Until I noticed a young couple on the first floor balcony. They have stolen away for a moment to enjoy the scene together, unaware that they too were part of this touching vignette.

Beitou Library, Taipei

I sketched from a kerbside bench

While my travel companions soaked in hot thermal baths that Beitou is famous for; I stayed out of doors and took in the sights in this scenic hillside town. The tiny park in the centre of the Hot Springs area has two architectural gems; one new and one older. The new and more striking one is the Beitou Library with its large oversailing roof and timber clad exterior.

A few starting lines to help the eye to register want the hand attempts to do

Add details only when the framework is to your liking

Add shadows and textures to bring out the forms

The details shown here were added while waiting for our flight home

..and the colours were added at home.

When we visited the Japanese Museum at Beitou, the brick and timber appeared to glow in the late afternoon light. I stood in its garden by the river and looked at it for a long moment - watching visitors stroll along its verandahs.